A LONG WALK

A new music project by JAVIER FARIAS based on the immigrant experience

A LONG WALK

A LONG WALK is a collection of real-life immigration stories shared by individuals who have entrusted me and classical guitarist Scott Hill with their personal experiences—stories filled with hope, fear, and resilience as they sought new lives in the United States. Inspired by their narratives, I transformed their emotions and journeys into music. Each piece in A Long Walk not only reflects the challenges these individuals faced, but also aims to evoke empathy and connection with the audience, inviting listeners to reflect on the richness and complexity of the immigrant experience.

CULTURAL AMBASSADOR

Where we belong (2022)

Commissioned by Carnegie Hall’s Reflections of Resilience project, WHERE WE BELONG is scored for double string quartet, charango and guitar. The work features the acclaimed PubliQuartet along with a group of young Latin American immigrants, all of them students from InTempo, an organization based in Stamford, CT, that provides high-quality classical and intercultural music education to children predominantly from immigrant backgrounds and from communities underrepresented in the arts.

The premiere will take place at Carnegie Hall on June 26th, 2022.

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WORKS

FORSAKEN PEAKS: AN ANDEAN EXILE

On January 13, 1960, a devastating earthquake struck Arequipa, Peru, forever changing the lives of its residents. Amid the chaos, Renza, a 15-year-old girl from Peru, met Dan, a dedicated member of the Peace Corps who was in the region to assist with recovery efforts. Their unexpected connection inspired Renza to leave her homeland and embark on a new life in the United States. Now, over sixty years later, she reflects on her immigrant experience, sharing the challenges and triumphs of rebuilding her life in a foreign land.

This new work by Javier Farías was commissioned by classical guitarist Marco Sartor and conductor Chris Gilliam for the Wake Forest University Chamber Choir. The premiere will take place at Brendle Concert Hall in March 2025.

LETTERS FROM MAINOR

Mainor was only 16 years old when he embarked on a journey to the U.S. by himself, leaving his entire family behind in Honduras.

Javier Farías will share his experience through a series of new compositions inspired by the letters he wrote to his family.

The first piece was commissioned by Jeremy D. Jones for the Miami Men’s Glee Club.

UNCHARTED WATERS

How desperate must a mother be to tell her children that if they don’t leave their home country now, they may not survive? Moreover, they would have to escape on what amounts to an artisanal raft—barely fit to cross a river, let alone endure a treacherous ocean journey. This chilling scenario is part of the story of 60-year-old Van, who was forced to leave Vietnam when the Viet Cong began a guerrilla war, leaving his family penniless.

LA VOZ DE MONICA

LA VOZ DE MONICA features the story of Monica, who left her two-year-old son in Ecuador in 2000 to make a grueling journey to Mexico where she tried to cross the border in the U.S. This trip turned into something much more ghastly than she anticipated, so much so that it nearly cost her life. Even though she’s been living a productive life in the United States for decades, she is still considered undocumented.

instrumentation: mixed choir, classical guitar

duration: 13 minutes

commissioned by Susan Klebanow

premiere: November 2023. Moeser Auditorium in Chapel Hill, NC

Carolina Choir conducted by Susan Klebanow, Billy Stewart (classical guitar)

YOUNG VOICES FOR THE FUTURE

Partially funded by the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, this project aims to raise awareness about the challenges young immigrants face as they leave their homes and adapt to life in the U.S. It includes new compositions inspired by texts taken from poems written by Latino middle and high school students—recent arrivals to Montgomery County, MD.


instrumentation: classical guitar, narration

duration: 20 minutes

commissioned by The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County

VOICES FROM MAYA

VOICES FROM MAYA details the journey of Maya, who was 21 years old when escaping the war-torn Croatia in 1993 to start a new life in the U.S. The following rather disconcerting extract was taken from an interview and reflects her thoughts in war: “Is it a peace day or not? Where are the bombs coming from? Counting the seconds from the time the bomb launches, because you start to recognize the sound of it, is it coming from the air or from the boats? You live like that. Your vocabulary changes.”

instrumentation: mixed choir, electric and classical guitar

duration: 14 minutes

commissioned by Barnard-Columbia Chamber Choir

premiere: April 2022. Church of the Ascension, New York City.

Barnard-Columbia Chamber Choir conducted by Gail Archer, Javier Farias (electric guitar) and Scott Hill (classical guitar)

WHERE WE BELONG

A piece commissioned by InTempo for PlayUSA, a program of Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, WHERE WE BELONG is scored for double string quartet, charango and guitar. The work features the acclaimed PubliQuartet and students from the Stamford based after school music program, InTempo, an organization that provides high-quality classical and intercultural music education to children predominantly from immigrant backgrounds and communities underrepresented in the arts.

instrumentation: double string quartet, three charangos and two classical guitars

duration: 10 minutes

commissioned by InTempo and PlayUSA

premiere: June 2022. Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute. PubliQuartet, INTEMPO students

Voices (2022)

VOICES is a trilogy of works scored for mixed choir, classical and electric guitar that will form a small part of the larger A LONG WALK series. Each piece in VOICES is based on a real person and the reason they decided to leave their country of origin. The first piece, VOICES FROM MAYA, chronicles the journey of a young woman escaping war-torn Croatia and starting a new life in the U.S. The piece was commissioned by conductor Gail Archer and the Barnard Columbia Chorus and featured composer Javier Farias on electric guitar and Scott Hill on classical. The premiere took place in April 2022, in NYC.

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VIDEOS

Never step back (2020)

A 40 minute suite written for guitar and voice, depicts texts and poetry by Kate Evans, Mai Ver Dang, Tracey K. Smith and Luis Alberto Urrea.

ABOUT

Being in snow is an adventure.

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PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS

CONTACT

If you have a general inquiry or are interested in partnering with us, please send us an email to:

longwalkproject@gmail.com